GrainCorp has brought on industrial action across the north west of NSW after spitting the dummy at negotiations with their grain handling workforce today over 30 cents an hour.
Grain handlers will now begin one hour stoppages at GrainCorp sites across NSW as part of protected industrial action, said the Australian Workers’ Union which represents the workers. The 200+ workers will commence their action with a month of random 1 hour stoppages at grain handling sites throughout the state beginning next Tuesday the 29th.
Negotiations broke down today at the Fair Work Commission after GrainCorp executives refused to cough up an additional 1% wage increase in year 3 of the new agreement. 1% equates to approximately 30 cents per hour to grain handlers that won’t kick in for two years.
Grain handlers move and store wheat, canola, barley, oats and other grains.
Freshly harvested grains are trucked from rural properties to bunker silos for storage before being loaded onto trains for transport to the coast and then shipped to market overseas.
Harvesting of winter crops has already begun in parts of western NSW and will ramp up in coming weeks.
Last week grain handlers voted to take action in a ‘protected industrial action ballot’ approved by The Fair Work Commission.
The workers have seen their pay go backwards in real terms over the last three years.
In 2021, 2022 and 2023 grain handlers received an annual increase of only 2% a year, despite inflation rising at a rate of 2.86%, 6.59% and 4.10% respectively, meaning real wages have declined by 7.5%.
In negotiations over the three year deal GrainCorp offered annual increases of 6%, 5%, and 3% plus a $1000 sign on bonus and their grain handlers want 6%, 5%, and 4% plus a $1000 sign on bonus – a difference of 1%.
“Today GrainCorp decided to disrupt a bumper grain harvest across western NSW for 30 cents an hour in 2 years time,” said Australian Workers’ Union NSW Secretary Tony Callinan.
“There are going to be trucks lined up at grain bunker silos all over western NSW next Tuesday. 30 cents per hour in two years time would be a minor rounding error on GrainCorp’s balance sheet.
“Our members work hard to deliver GrainCorp bumper profits, they are fed up with low wage increases and GrainCorp don’t think they are worth an extra 1%.
“One off payments and annual bonuses at GrainCorp’s discretion are not going to cut it this time around.
“These workers do the same work as their colleagues in Queensland and they want to be paid the same, that’s just plain fair, and I’m pretty sure it passes the pub test, especially one south of the border,” said Mr Callinan.
